Sign.



J. M. FRANCIS.

SIGN.

APPLIOATION FILED 0051'. 21, 1909.

gwve'wto'a JOHN FAA/V615 Patented June 28, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. M. FRANCIS.

SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 21, 1909.

Patented June 28, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L/OHN l A/vc/s.

JOHN M. FRANCIS, OF MARION, INDIANA.

a SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1910..

Application filed October 21, 1909. Serial No. 523,831.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. FRANCIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marion, in the county of Grant, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a sign and more particularly to the class ofletter signs and supports therefor.

.The primary object of the invention is the provision of a sign in which the letters thereof are mounted upon a support so that the said letters will boldly stand out and each letter will be reinforced so as to withstand heavy winds and yet be neat and artistic in appearance and possessing the required durability.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sign of this character in which each letter forming the sign may be readily and quickly mounted upon and detached from a support, and also rigidly held there.-.

on so as to prevent displacement thereof, although permitting the adding or removal of one or more letters without disturbing the remainingletters of the sign should the occasion demand.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a sign which is simple in construction, reliable, and inexpensive in the manufacture.

With these andother objects in view, the invention consists in the'construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred form of embodiment of the invention, to enable those skilled in I the art to carry the same into practice, and

as pointed out in the claims hereunto appended. I

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sign and its support constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview on the line 22 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofone of the supporting brackets. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the sign and its support. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the letters detached from the sign. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the supporting rods detached.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 8 designates a horizontal foundation or base, which may be of any desirable construction and in fact may be dispensed with entirely and upon this base is mounted spaced brackets 9, the latter having side posts 10, rising vertically from the base and 1n the posts 10, are detachably mounted spaced horizontal suspension or supporting rods 11, which latter are each formed with a right angularly bent terminal 12, while its opposite end has threaded thereon jam nuts 13, and inthis manner the rods are detachably secured in the brackets. However, it is to be understood that in the construction of-this sign,

as will be hereinafter more fully described,

the suspension or supporting rods may be stretched in spaced horizontal relation to each other and connected in any suitable manner to supports or objects to suit theconvenience of the user of the letters in the for-- mation of the sign. These supporting or suspension rods 9, have connected thereto the required number of series of letters 14, which in their aggregate form the display sign, each letter is composed of a flat piece of metal having secured in any suitable manner either by solder or rivets to its rear face brace 01' reinforcing wings 15, the same containing diagonal slots receiving the support- 7 mation or character of the letter or in other words, the said wings will not be visible when looking toward the front of the letters.

Adjacent the slots 16, in each wing 15, are suitable apertures 17, through which are passed short strands of bendable wire 18,

each having its terminals coiled about the supporting rods 11, at opposite sides of the 'ribs or wings 15, as at 19, so as to securely fasten each letter 14, upon the supporting rods and against longitudinal displacement thereon. These supporting rods-11, may be prevented against swaying movement due to heavy winds by means of tie rods 20, the latboth to the said supporting rods and an adjacent support.

It is apparent that these letters constructed with the wings 15, in the foregoing manner with the wire strand fasteners 18, may be sold or otherwise disposed of to-the trade thus enabling any person to mount the,

letters securely upon suspension means such as the supporting rods, wires or cables,

without requiring a person skilled in the construction of signs in the handling thereof.

What is claimed is 1. A sign comprising supporting rods, let ters, wings secured to the rear faces of the letters and having openings receiving the supporting rods whereby the said letters may be adjusted longitudinally on said rod, and wires carried by the letters and having their ends twisted at opposite sides of the wings about the rods, substantially as described.

2. In a sign, the combination of a suspension element, a letter, wings fixed to and projecting at right angles from the rear face of the letter and having inclined slots opening through its free edge, and bendable wires carried by the wings adjacent to the slot whereby the ends of said wire may be twisted at opposite sides of the wings about said suspension element when passed through said slots to detachably secure said letter to the suspension element.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. FRANCIS.

Witnesses:

J. L. SHEARER, J. A. TU'EIL. 

